• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.3 s.58
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• pp.630-642
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to examine the mortality risk associated with cognitive impairment among the rural elderly. The subjective of study was 558 of 'A Study on the Depression and Cognitive Impairment in the Rural Elderly' of Jung Ae Rhee and Hyang Gyun Jung's study(1993). Cognitive impairment and other social and health factors were assessed in 558 elderly rural community residents. For this study, a Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSEK) was used as a global indicator of cognitive functioning. And mortality risk factors for each cognitive impairment subgroup were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. At baseline 22.6% of the sample were mildly impaired and 14.2% were severely impaired. As the age increased, the cognitive function was more impaired. Sexual difference was existed in the cognitive function level. Also the variables such as smoking habits, physical disorders had the significant relationship with cognitive function impairment. Across a 3-year observation period the mortality rate was 8.5% for the cognitively unimpaired, 11.1% for the mildly impaired, and 16.5% for the severly impaired respendents. And the survival probability was .92 for the cognitively unimpaired, .90 for the mildly impaired, and .86 for the severly impaired respondents. Compared to survival curve for the cognitively unimpaired group, each survival curve for the mildly and the severely impaired group was not significantly different. When adjustments models were not made for the effects of other health and social covariates, each hazard ratio of death of mildly and severely impaired persons was not significantly different as compared with the cognitively unimpaired. But, as MMSEK score increased, significantly hazard ratio of death decreased. Employing Cox univariate proportional hazards model, statistically other significant variables were age, monthly income, smoking habits, physical disorders. Also when adjustments were made for the effects of other health and social covariates, there was no difference in hazard ratio of death between those with severe or mild impairment and unimpaired persons. And as MMSEK score increased, significantly hazard ratio of death did not decrease. Employing Cox multivariate proportional hazards model, statistically other significant variables were age, monthly income, physical disorders. Employing Cox multivariate proportional hazards model by sex, at men and women statistically significant variable was only age. For both men and women, also cognitive impairment was not a significant risk factor. Other investigators have found that cognitive impairment is a significant predictor of mortality. But we didn't find that it is a significant predictor of mortality. Even though the conclusions of our study were not related to cognitive impairment and mortality, early detection of impaired cognition and attention to associated health problems could improve the quality of life of these older adults and perhaps extend their survival.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.231-235
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• 2009

Oxygen consumption has been regarded as a useful indicator for assessment of mammalian embryo quality. However, there was no standard criterion to measure the oxygen consumption of embryos. Here, we measured oxygen consumption of bovine embryos at various developmental stages was measured using a scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). We found that the oxygen consumption significantly increased in blastocyst-stage embryos compared to other stage embryos (from 2-cell-stage to morula-stage), indicating that oxygen consumption reflects the cell number ($5.2{\sim}7.6{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $1.2{\sim}2.4{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). In the morula-stage embryos, the oxygen consumption of in vivo derived embryos was significantly higher than that of in vitro produced embryos ($4.0{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $2.4{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in consumption of oxygen by in vivo and in vitro-derived bovine blastocyst-stage embryos (p>0.05). In the frozen-thawed blastocyst-stage embryos, live embryos showed significantly higher oxygen consumption than dead embryos ($4.7{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $1.0{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). These results indicate that the measuring oxygen consumption by SECM can be used to evaluate bovine embryo quality.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2014

Our study is purposed to understand effect on spatio-temporal variability of macroinvertebrate community 11 sampling times at 4 sites between two streams (Shinchon stream and Gongji stream in Chuncheun City) from May 2011 to October 2013. In this study, the possible physical factors on spatio-temporal variability of macroinvertebrate community were discussed. After stream improvement project, the effects of anthropogenic disturbance in study sites appeared as increased water temperature more than $30^{\circ}C$ and the difference of water temperature between Shinchon stream and Gongji stream was by maximum $9^{\circ}C$ on 2012. The monsoon rainfall decreased number of species, individuals and biodiversity index of macroinvertebrate community, particularly, in Shincheon stream compare to Gongji stream. Dominant species of macroinvertebrate taxa was caddisfly in Shincheon stream and Diptera in Gongji stream but on August 2013, it was dominated by Diptera, Chironomidae spp. in all study sites. The spatio-temporal variability of macroinvertebrate community in the streams may be useful as bio-indicator influencing anthropogenic factors such as soil erosion (landslide or cultivation) or monsoon rainfall.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 1972

In this article, the writer attempted to study the followings: (1) mother's knowledge of milk feeding (including method of sterilization, formula and feeding) (2) reasons of artificial feeding (3) how much mothers are concerned about their artificial feeding infants (4) condition of growth and development of artificial feeding infants. As the object of study, 96 mothers with artificial feeding infants, who had consulted dep't of pediatrics of two Hospitals in Seoul (Korea Hospital and Med. College Woo Suk Hospital, Korea Uni.) and well baby clinic of the two Health Centers (Sung Dong and Dongdaemoon), were randomly sampled. The data were treated by the statistic method of chi-square and percentage, and come to the following conclusion. 1. Knowledge of milk feeding Sterilization: 70 percentages of mothers know about the milk sterilization (including bottle, nipple and instrument), but 55 percentages of them do not know the nipple sterilization correctly. Formula: 69 percentages of mothers follow the indicator or in accordance with doctor's directions, but 31 percentages do at their option by reasons that the baby often coughs up the milk, the baby is too small, the baby often has digestive troubles, or the baby grow fleshy heavily etc, except family economic problems. Feeding: only half of mothers know the correct feeding method, especially they do not know how to determine the heat degree of milk and how to bubble up the baby correctly. They just do feeding according to the accepted usages. 2. Reasons of artificial feeding Of the reasons of artificial feeding, 18 percentages were caused by infants and 82 percentages by mothers. Most of the reasons are mainly due to the lack of breast milk and sufficient supply of nourishments rather than mother's deficiency or mother's abnormality. 3. Mother's concern for artificial feeding infants Mothers who are sharply concerned for their artificial feeding baby's growth and development: 63%, mothers who made the baby (artificial feeding infant) routine vaccinated: 81%, mothers who ear anxious about the baby's future personality forming : 68%, mothers who care about the baby's condition of nourishment; 60%, mothers who are anxious about tile selection of baby's food; 54%. 4. The growth and development of artificial feeding infants compared with Korean average infants. The artificial feeding infants are above the Korean average infants in stature by 1.21 centimeters and in weight by 0.3 kilograms. Conclusion: It has been said that there is no better food for infant than the breast milk. However, the artificial feeding has been used for the supplement of nourishments and as substitute food for the breast milk. And this artificial feeding could give the married women the chance to act in society and more opportunity to develop themselves and to work for others at home and other fields. Considering these advantages, artificial feeding should not be exclusive, but preferably should be more improved and inquired positively. And even in artificial feeding, what is most important is that mothers should recognize the requirement and need of artificial feeding clearly and correctly, and they should be accustomed to the correct knowledge and skills of artificial feeding in order to practice it appropriately. In some degree, they should be properly trained in school education process.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of this paper was to examine the relationship between the summertime (June to August) heat index, which quantifies the bioclimatic apparent temperature in sultry weather, and the daily disease-related mortality in Seoul for the period from 1991 to 2000. Methods : The daily maximum (or minimum) summertime heat indices, which show synergetic apparent temperatures, were calculated from the six hourly temperatures and real time humidity data for Seoul from 1991 to 2000. The disease-related daily mortality was extracted with respect to types of disease, age and sex, etc. and compared with the time series of the daily heat indices. Results : The summertime mortality in 1994 exceeded the normal by 626 persons. Specifically, blood circulation-related and cancer-related mortalities increased in 1994 by 29.7% (224 persons) and 15.4% (107 persons), respectively, compared with those in 1993. Elderly persons, those above 65 years, were shown to be highly susceptible to strong heat waves, whereas the other age and sex-based groups showed no significant difference in mortality. In particular, a heat wave episode on the 22nd of July 2004 ($>45^{\circ}C$ daily heat index) resulted in double the normal number of mortalities after a lag time of 3 days. Specifically, blood circulation-related mortalities, such as cerebral infraction, were predominant causes. Overall, a critical mortality threshold was reached when the heat index exceeded approximately $37^{\circ}C$, which corresponds to human body temperature. A linear regression model based on the heat indices above $37^{\circ}C$, with a 3 day lag time, accounted for 63% of the abnormally increased mortality (${\geq}+2$ standard deviations). Conclusions : This study revealed that elderly persons, those over 65 years old, are more vulnerable to mortality due to abnormal heat waves in Seoul, Korea. When the daily maximum heat index exceeds approximately $37^{\circ}C$, blood circulation-related mortality significantly increases. A linear regression model, with respect to lag-time, showed that the heat index based on a human model is a more dependable indicator for the prediction of hot weather-related mortality than the ambient air temperature.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1254-1262
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• 1998

This study has done to investigate the relationship between the icreased lipid oncentration caused by smoking and plama levels of vitamin A and vitamin E, antiodative enzyme activity, and lipid peroxidation , in 52 male smokers and 32 non-smokers, Dietary vitamin A and vitamin E intake was imilar in both smokers and non-smokers. Absolute plasma concentrations of vitamin A and vitamin E were not significantly different between two groups, whereas vitamin E/cholesterol ration in plasma was low or in smokers than in that of non-smokers(p<0.05). It was considered that this lowered effect was due to the elevated plasma lipid concentration rather than oxidant stress derived from smoking, in view of the fact that smokers had higher cholesterol (15.2%) adn LDL-C(26.6%) levels than non-smokers. In non-smokers, plasma thiobarbiturin acid reactive substances(TBARS) conrrelated positively with total cholesterol(r=0.63466, p<0.001), LDL-C level(r=0.57166, p<0.01) , and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio(r=0.45926, p<0.05) . Activities of glutathione perosidase(GSH-Px) , superoside dismutase(SOD), and catalse made no difference in both groups. However, it was observed in non-smokers that GSH-Px activity had negative correlations with total cholesterol(r=-0.67293, p<0.001), LDL-C level(r=-0.62878, p<0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (r=-0.58824, p<0.01), indicating that there was a dependent relationship between lipid perosidation and plasma lipid level. The smokers also showed negative correlations for GSH-Px activity with total cholesterol (r=-0.29946, p<0.05) and LDL-c level (r=0.45914, p<0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-c ratio(r=-0.35438, p<0.05). It seemed that the lipid that the lipid level elevated by sustaines smoking resulted in reducing vitamin E/cholesterol ratio and proportion of antioxidant to oxidant load, and then GSH-Px activity, with insufficient removal of free radicals(TBARS 2.43$\pm$0.51 and 1.81$\pm$0.15nmol/ml in smokers and non-smokers, respectively). These findings suggest that higher plasma lipid levels may play a more important role in perturbing the antioxidant defense system including vitamin E status and GSH-Px activity, at least in circumstances that increase lipid concentration . In addition, in exposure to free radicals like those in cigarette smoke. In those cases the ratio of vitamin E/lipid in plasma can be a more indicator of vitamin E status than plasma levels of vitamin E alone.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.8
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• pp.95-100
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• 2018

The Korea Convergence Society. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and periodontal diseases in Korea adults. The date from the 2014 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey were used, and 4,328 subjects over 30 years were included in the analysis. Periodontal disease was assessed using the Community Periodontal Index. The adjusted odds ratio of drinking experience, drinking frequency, the drinking amount and the drinking duration were calculated from the logistic regression model with the never-drinkers as a reference group and the logistic model controlled for age, gender, education, and diabetes. This study found that the risk of periodontal disease according to the drinking status of adults over 30 years of age was 1.39 times (95% CI=1.01-1.90) higher than that of non-drinking group when the number of drinks consumed at one time was more than seven glasses. The frequency of binge alcohol consumption, amount of alcohol consumption and duration of alcohol consumption were significantly associated with the risk of periodontal disease in a dose-response pattern among over 30 years. Alcohol consumption was discovered to be a potential risk indicator for periodontitis. Dental practitioners need to be aware that patients who drink may be at higher risk of periodontitis and could benefit from advice to quit drinking and maintain regular dental visits.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2015

A new colorimetric test ($Cariview^{(R)}$) using a new type of pH indicator can reflect the acidogenic potential of plaque bacteria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between $Cariview^{(R)}$ and the caries experience (measured through the dmft index) of children, and to compare $Cariview^{(R)}$ with Dentocult $SM^{(R)}$. Having obtained informed consent, 135 children less than 6 years old participated in the study. We examined their dmft index, and performed two caries activity tests ($Cariview^{(R)}$ and Dentocult $SM^{(R)}$) according to the manufacturers' instructions. In the results, $Cariview^{(R)}$ showed a moderate correlation with the dmft index (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). $Cariview^{(R)}$ showed a sensitivity of 68.8%, a specificity of 69.2%, and an area under curve of 0.686 in the ROC curve analysis. $Cariview^{(R)}$ had a significant correlation with the children's caries experience and had a slightly better explanatory ability than Dentocult $SM^{(R)}$. Furthermore, $Cariview^{(R)}$ was convenient and easy to use on uncooperative children, and also had an educational effect with its visual colors. It is suggested that $Cariview^{(R)}$ could be used clinically to identify the children susceptible to develop caries and to establish a preventive strategy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 2015

The study was conducted to analyze the genetic parameters of somatic cell score (SCS) of Holstein cows, which is an important indicator to udder health. Test-day records of somatic cell counts (SCC) of 305-day lactation design from first to fifth lactations were collected on Holsteins in Korea during 2000 to 2012. Records of animals within 18 to 42 months, 30 to 54 months, 42 to 66 months, 54 to 78 months, and 66 to 90 months of age at the first, second, third, fourth and fifth parities were analyzed, respectively. Somatic cell scores were calculated, and adjusted for lactation production stages by Wilmink's function. Lactation averages of SCS ($LSCS_1$ through $LSCS_5$) were derived by further adjustments of each test-day SCS for five age groups in particular lactations. Two datasets were prepared through restrictions on number of sires/herd and dams/herd, progenies/sire, and number of parities/cow to reduce data size and attain better relationships among animals. All LSCS traits were treated as individual trait and, analyzed through multiple-trait sire models and single trait animal models via VCE 6.0 software package. Herd-year was fitted as a random effect. Age at calving was regressed as a fixed covariate. The mean LSCS of five lactations were between 3.507 and 4.322 that corresponded to a SCC range between 71,000 and 125,000 cells/mL; with coefficient of variation from 28.2% to 29.9%. Heritability estimates from sire models were within the range of 0.10 to 0.16 for all LSCS. Heritability was the highest at lactation 2 from both datasets (0.14/0.16) and lowest at lactation 5 (0.11/0.10) using sire model. Heritabilities from single trait animal model analyses were slightly higher than sire models. Genetic correlations between LSCS traits were strong (0.62 to 0.99). Very strong associations (0.96 to 0.99) were present between successive records of later lactations. Phenotypic correlations were relatively weaker (<0.55). All correlations became weaker at distant lactations. The estimated breeding values (EBVs) of LSCS traits were somewhat similar over the years for a particular lactation, but increased with lactation number increment. The lowest EBV in first lactation indicated that selection for SCS (mastitis resistance) might be better with later lactation records. It is expected that results obtained from these multi-trait lactation model analyses, being the first large scale SCS data analysis in Korea, would create a good starting step for application of advanced statistical tools for future genomic studies focusing on selection for mastitis resistance in Holsteins of Korea.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.123-131
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• 2008

In Oriental medicine, the status of a tongue is the important indicator to diagnose the condition of one's health like the physiological and the clinicopathological changes of internal organs in a body. A tongue diagnosis is not only convenient but also non-invasive, and therefore widely used in Oriental medicine. However, the tongue diagnosis is affected by examination circumstances like a light source, patient's posture, and doctor's condition a lot. To develop an automatic tongue diagnosis system for an objective and standardized diagnosis, segmenting a tongue region from a facial image captured and classifying tongue coating are inevitable but difficult since the colors of a tongue, lips, and skin in a mouth are similar. The proposed method includes preprocessing, over-segmenting, detecting the edge with a local minimum over a shading area from the structure of a tongue, correcting local minima or detecting the edge with the greatest color difference, selecting one edge to correspond to a tongue shape, and smoothing edges, where preprocessing consists of down-sampling to reduce computation time, histogram equalization, and edge enhancement, which produces the region of a segmented tongue. Finally, the systematic procedure separated only a tongue region from a face image with a tongue, which was obtained from a digital tongue diagnosis system. Oriental medical doctors' evaluation for the results illustrated that the segmented region excluding a non-tongue region provides important information for the accurate diagnosis. The proposed method can be used for an objective and standardized diagnosis and for an u-Healthcare system.